SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Lululemon has locked up its location in Armory Square and expects to have its Syracuse store open soon.

The retailer, known for its "yoga-inspired" athletic apparel, will be located in the Mill Pond Landing building at 327 W. Fayette St. It's space currently used as a construction office for the Marriott hotel project across the street.

Lululemon will take the 800-square-foot storefront effective Aug. 1 and plans to open a few weeks later, said Martin McDermott, senior vice president at JF Real Estate, which leased the space.

Word that the chain was eyeing Syracuse emerged in June. The company was hiring for the local store on its website, but the postings didn't include information about an exact location or opening date.

Lululemon plans to open one of its showrooms in Syracuse. That's a smaller version of the brand's regular retail stores with a more limited selection of products.

The company opened its first store in 2000 in Vancouver, British Columbia. It now has locations throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia, including showrooms in Buffalo and Rochester and a number of regular retail stores in the New York City area.

Lululemon is a major pickup for the downtown retail landscape.

"When a national name like lululemon chooses downtown Syracuse, it goes to show you how far downtown has come," said Lisa Romeo, director of communications for the Downtown Committee of Syracuse. "People continue to see it as a viable location."

There's more than $200 million in construction underway in the neighborhood right now, she added. And the area's residential population has been growing by double digits in recent years.

Urban Outfitters opened on Walton Street in Armory Square in 2010 and at the time local leaders said they hoped more national retail names would follow.